NVRLND #2
Writer: Stephanie Salyers, Dylan Mulick
Artist: Leila Leiz
Colourist: Thomas Chu
Letterer: Eugenio Perez Jr.
Editor: David Forrest
Publisher: 451 Media
A review by Amelia Wellman
Second star to the right and straight on till morning. It’s the only cryptic clue given to Wendy and Tiger Lily to find their way to the underground NVRLND rave. The Lost Boys are playing a set and everyone who is anyone will be in attendance. There are two problems though. One, Wendy is grounded. Two, Hook and his band of pixie dust pushing pirates will be there and they’re not leaving without having drawn some blood. Tonight Peter and Hook will fight for the right to control NVRLND. Tonight we see if Peter knows how to fly!
With NVRLND #2 Salyers and Mulick are already halfway through their four issue run and it shows. The pace is too rushed and it’s detrimental to the enjoyment of the piece. Sequences that could have been whole issues in themselves are being comprised into single panels. I understand that a new and untested idea is a greater financial risk but even two more issues added to this series run could have helped with the pacing issue.
Pacing issues aside, there are some interesting things happening in NVRLND #2. Tiger Lily and Wendy have put their differences aside and Tiger goes into her past to explain how she got a scar. It was a sad story, but one that explains her attitude and adds a little sympathy and believably to the character. There’s also some magic! It was hinted at in issue one, but we get it straight out in NVRLND #2. I can’t say that I understand how the magic from the original story fits in, but I’m definitely going to keep reading the series to find out!
While I was hoping that Leiz’s style for NVRLND would grow on me, it hasn’t. The comic is supposed to be filled with beautiful teenagers and they aren’t. Tiger Lily comes off really horse-like and Wendy’s rounded face doesn’t suit the comic. Hook is consistently the best drawn character and that strikes me as odd, considering he’s the bad guy. Colours are bright and characters are expressive though, so even if the style didn’t speak to me, it’s still an interesting comic to let your eye roam across.
The Verdict
Check it out. I hate to have to downgrade my verdict compared to issue one, but I’m torn on the series as of issue two. If you really enjoyed issue one, there’s a good chance you’re going to really enjoy NVRLND #2, so go ahead and pick it up. The rushed feeling of the story leaves issue two unsatisfying though, so if you haven’t looked into the series yet, I’d say give it some more time. A trade release might prove to be the best way to enjoy the sex and drug fuelled magic that is NVRLND.
NVRLND #2 will be available in comic book shops September 14th.
